Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Para sportspersons from Madhya Pradesh have expressed disappointment that they will not be able to participate in the Khelo Madhya Pradesh Youth Games 2025-26. Branded as the Olympics of Madhya Pradesh, the Games are scheduled from January 10 to 31 next year.
The first edition of the Khelo MP Youth Games was held in October 2023. After a gap of three years and several postponements, the second edition will begin at the block level on January 10 and conclude at the state level from January 28 to 31. Competitions in 27 sporting disciplines are scheduled.
However, the Games will not have a para edition. The Khelo India Youth Games, on which the MP version is modelled, includes a separate para edition, but the state version offers no platform for para athletes.
Kapil Parmar, who won India’s first paralympic medal in judo, questioned why the state government is discriminating against para athletes. “Why do they want to push us back?” he asked. Para athlete Harshit Choudhary said that almost all international tournaments provide opportunities for para players, so there is no reason for the state to ignore them.
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Prachi Yadav, a paracanoe athlete who competed in the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics and won bronze at the 2022 Paralympic World Cup, expressed disappointment. “Para athletes are quite talented and they should have been given a chance to participate in Khelo MP,” she said. Similarly, Shubham Mishra, a 100-metre athlete, said a Para edition would have provided a platform for players with disabilities.
Vivek Singh Parihar, Working President of Para Sports Association of Madhya Pradesh, said that from Olympics to the Asiad, almost all international tournaments have separate para editions. “I don’t know why the Madhya Pradesh Government is ignoring para athletes,” he said. Mohammed Shahid, Secretary of MP Blind Sports Association, said that para players should not be excluded from any major tournament.
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Yes, there is no separate edition for para athletes in the upcoming Khelo MP Youth Games. But we will definitely consider giving them an opportunity in future.
Rakesh Gupta, director, sports
